Baked Ziti With Cream and Pancetta

Adapted from On Top of Spaghetti by Johanne Killeen and George Germon channelled via Cream Puffs in Venice. This is for the folks suffering from unseasonably cold weather now & for us later in the year (like November LOL).

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1 -2  slice pancetta, chopped up into tiny pieces (about half an inch thick)
• 1 1⁄4 cups heavy cream (35% cream)
• 1⁄2 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated
• 1⁄2 cup pecorino romano cheese, grated
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked
• 1⁄2 lb ziti pasta, dried
• 2  tablespoons butter, unsalted

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil, add salt.
2. In a skillet, heat the olive oil and add the pancetta. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until the pancetta is golden. Be careful not burn. Remove the pancetta to a plate and reserve the oil and fat in the skillet.
3. When the water is boiling and you’ve salted it, add the pasta and cook for 6 minutes. Meanwile, heat the oven to 500 degrees F.
4. In a large bowl, combine the cream, salt and pepper. Stir in the pancetta and a tablespoon or two of the oil/fat left in the skillet (flavour flavour flavour!).
5. Once the pasta has cooked for 6 minutes, drain and immediately add to the cream mixture. Stir well to ensure that the pasta is coated in the cream and cheese.
6. Pour the mixture into a deep baking dish and bake in the oven for 12 minutes. The pasta should be golden on top and the cream should be bubbling. If it’s not, bake for another 5 minutes and check again.
7. Remove the pasta from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Serve immediately.